metabiosis

http://www.kurator.org/afterthenet

After the Net explores the paradoxical development of the Internet. As the current Web 2.0 hype begins to wane, the exhibition reflects upon the promises of technological progress, global networking and instantaneous communication. Presented artworks draw attention to key developments: from cybernetics to free and open source software, and
social networking platforms.

Reflected in the title, the exhibition makes explicit reference to the documentary film The Net by Lutz Dammbeck (2003), and has three iterations: for Valencia (2008), Plymouth (2009) and Toluca (2010). The selection of artists is updated for each venue as a new version.

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hello process! is currently running (and printing…) in the main exhibition of the 2008 edition of the piksel festival in Bergen at the 3,14 Gallery. The latest node from the Metabiosis project is shown next to other great works such as Hologram (by Øyvind Mellbye), Gaps (by noemata/Bjørn Magnhildøen) , Expanded Eye (by Anaisa Franco), and exist.pl from Pall Thayer (who was also in make art 08).

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Exibition ‘After the net’
5th of June – 29th of June 2008
Observatori, Valencia (ES)

From the 5th till the 29th of July, hello process will be exhibited at Observatori festival in Valencia, Spain. Observatori is an international festival of contemporary art, running since 2000, programming diverse artists and projects across different art forms. Hello process will be part of the exhibition ‘After the net’. Like the film ‘The Net’ by Lutz Dammbeck (2003), the exhibition explores systems of technological control and presents works that draw attention to historical shifts of network power: from cybernetics to free and open source software, and in turn to social networking platforms. The works in the exhibition explore some of the historical roots of technological open systems in relation to ethics and artistic practice and reactivate some of the founding paradoxes. On the one hand, there is an emphasis on the social promises of global networking and instantaneous communication, and on the other, an emphasis on intrusive systems of technological control. The artists in the exhibition respond through critique, invention and panache.

Thursday April 3rd, at 20.00
Sign, Winschoterkade 10, Groningen, NL

Final presentation of ‘Hello Process!’ with on show the installation developed during the 5 week residency at Sign, and a short report on the events that have been taking place at Sign the past month. And of course, drinks :)

See you Thursday!
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In “hello process”, each iteration, through all the small bits of FORTH code inside the block file image, is visualized as one line of graphics on paper from the dot matrix printer. These graphics are not generated as an image and sent to the printer, but instead are directly using the 8-pin graphics mode of the printer.

In this case, each of the eight bits in a byte of data sent to the printer corresponds to one pin on the printhead. A bit’s value can be either 1 or 0. When the printer receives the data, it interprets a bit with a value of 1 as a command to fire the corresponding pin. Bits that are set to 0 don’t cause pins to fire.

Each block code will end up with its own “byte ID” so it can be visualized and identified on paper in the graphics line. But before getting there, a few tests have been done to try different bit combos and select the generators the most aesthetically pleasing for us :)

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The Openlab session of Thursday March 27th has been moved to Saturday the 29th! On Saturday the lab is open from 13.00 til 17.00.

The 13th of March Dave Griffiths visited Openlab Groningen for a crash course Fluxus. We struggled with opening and closing brackets and created some wonderful visuals. We are totally hooked on Fluxus!!! Thanks Dave!

Here are some pictures of the workshop ‘hello process’ that took place 5, 6 and 7 March 2008 in Sign, Groningen. We are now continuing with some Openlab sessions at the gallery, on 18, 20 25 and 27 March (Tuesdays and Thursdays) from 14.00 – 18.00. You are welcome to drop by. There are no more workshops, but you can find information on Free/Libre Open Source Software for artistic production, simply work on your own projects and get some free coffees or just have a chat with fellow Groninger geeks :)

The evening “In rand() we trust” took place last Thursday, March 13th. It was a very interesting evening with great contributions by Adger Stokvisch, Arie Altena, Florian Cramer and Dave Griffiths. A big thanks to Sign and all guests for making it possible!

‘hello process’ lectures: in rand() we trust!
13 March 2008, 20.00 – 22.30
Sign, Winschoterkade 10, Groningen
Guests: Florian Cramer, Arie Altena, Adger Stokvisch, Aymeric Mansoux, and Marloes de Valk

During this evening we will be questioning the nature and purpose of generative art. With 4 lectures and an open talk, we investigate whether or not generative art is indeed an art form or just a technique. Is it possible to make a distinction between generative processes, applications of generative processes and generative processes as a conceptual ground for software art? Does the term generative art apply to screen savers, alife, fractal art,, conceptual software/code art and poetry alike? Is it even important to make this distinction? The term generative art has been around for a while now, and is applied to extremely diverse works and opposite artistic approaches. No more! It’s time to fork! (again!)

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